Cook County Settles Wrongful Termination Case Involving Commissioner Samantha Steele
- Nick Cicero
- Jan 16
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 2
Cook County taxpayers are footing a $180,000 settlement after Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele was sued for wrongful termination by her former employee, Frank Calabrese. The federal lawsuit alleged Steele fired Calabrese after he refused to engage in unethical political retaliation and disclose confidential information about the Chicago Bears' tax appeal for their Arlington Heights property.
According to the Chicago Tribune’s A.D. Quig, Calabrese claimed that Steele pressured him to “release details” about the Bears' tax situation in an effort to politically damage her rivals on the Board. His firing allegedly followed not just his refusal, but also his cooperation with the Cook County Office of the Independent Inspector General (OIIG). The OIIG later substantiated part of Calabrese’s claims, finding that Steele improperly disclosed “confidential information” about the Bears’ property tax appeal and recommending that she undergo ethics training.
Although Steele denied the allegations, the settlement comes amid mounting controversies surrounding her behavior, both professional and personal. Calabrese’s letter to the County Board referenced Steele’s DUI arrest video, which he obtained and released to the media. The footage showed Steele resisting instructions from Chicago police officers. The arrest report quotes her saying to an officer: “Is your penis that small?” While bodycam footage of that quote is unavailable due to hospital camera restrictions, the video released publicly captured her combative demeanor.
Calabrese wrote “If the public could see her treatment of officers at the scene, then it is not hard for people to believe how she mistreated me as an employee.” He added that although he initially wanted his job back and back pay, he agreed to the settlement after securing a new job and feeling he had received “a degree of justice.”
Meanwhile, Cook County Inspector General findings continue to raise red flags about hiring practices under Steele, many of whom hired politically connected staffers in violation of internal rules. Commissioner Steele refused to comment on the settlement. Her next court appearance regarding the DUI is scheduled for February.